Data centers are used to provide computing services to one or more users such as business entities, etc. The data center comprises a plurality of computing elements such as server computers that run a plurality of virtual machine processes. The output of the virtual machine processes is supplied over network resources to the one or more users.
The data center workload at any given time reflects the amount of resources necessary to provide one or more services. The workload is helpful in adjusting the allocation of resources at any given time and in planning for future resource allocation planning and to determine an appropriate charge back cost to the users. Current workload cost techniques are cumbersome, inaccurate and inflexible.